Main Stage

Hope Koch

Godfrey Sullivan Professor of Information Systems and Business Analytics, Hankamer School of Business · Baylor University

Session

"Closing session on Hope (Human Opportunity and a Period of Exponential Change)"

You will leave this closing session filled with HOPE: a clearer understanding of your Human Opportunity in this Period of Exponential Change. Through research, stories, and practical examples, Dr. Hope Koch will show why AI will not replace what is most valuable about you, your experience, or your business—it can help amplify it. You will discover approachable ways to use AI to extend your expertise into greater efficiency, smarter decisions, and new possibilities. You will also see how AI is opening the door for people without traditional technical backgrounds to transform their unique business knowledge into useful tools, better workflows, and innovative solutions. The YouXAI opportunity is to recognize what makes you uniquely valuable—and learn how AI can help you do it better.

About

A fifth-generation Texan, triathlete, and Professor, Dr. Hope Koch holds the Godfrey Sullivan Endowed Chair of Information Systems & Business Analytics at Baylor University. She teaches and leads research on artificial intelligence, emerging technologies, and the future of business—helping people see AI not as a replacement for human value, but as an amplifier of it. In 2026, the Lieutenant Governor of Texas appointed Dr. Koch to the Texas Artificial Intelligence Council. Her perspective is grounded in the real-world decisions facing Texas organizations and communities. She is an elected Trustee of Temple College, a board member and Chair of the Audit Committee for First National Bank Texas, and Chair of the Callaway Foundation. Dr. Koch’s talks blend history, humor, research, and practical “homework,” helping audiences recognize what makes them uniquely valuable—and put AI to work in ways that strengthen their business, their community, and their impact.

Interviews

Watch Hope in Action

July 2026

Hope Koch Closing Keynote at YOU x AI: The Future of Business, Technology & AI

Hope Koch is joining YOU x AI Summit: Unstoppable as our Closing Keynote Speaker in Waco, Texas on September 12, 2026 at The PACC. Hope Koch is a Baylor University Hankamer School of Business Distinguished Professor, the Godfrey Sullivan Endowed Chair, a researcher, educator, CPA, and a member of the Texas Artificial Intelligence Council. Her work focuses on emerging technologies, the future of business, responsible innovation, and helping students move into meaningful careers in technical fields. At YOU x AI, she’ll help close the day with a powerful look at where business, leadership, education, and artificial intelligence are headed next — and why this moment matters for Central Texas.

See Hope Live on September 12

Join the waitlist for early access to tickets — waitlist members get Early Bird pricing.

Join the Waitlist — Free